Screw pump



June 29, 1937, R. wlTT SCREW PUMP Filed July 24, 1933 Rudolph W212 ATTORNEY Patented June 29, 1937 2,085,622 SCREW r MP Rudolph Witt, Northfield, Ohio Application July 24, 1933, Serial No. 682,013

1 Claim.

l The invention relates to a laundry apparatus and more especially to a pump for a laundering machine. e

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a pump of this character, wherein fiuid will be controlled for the successful work ing ofthe laundry apparatus and enables a continuous operation without requiring close attention on the part of anoperator.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a pump of this character, wherein all the water used in the laundering apparatus will beforcibly discharged and delivered at any convenient or preferred point.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a pump of this character, wherein the construction and arrangement of parts" will be such that efficiency is assured andthe life thereof prolonged.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the features of construction,

combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a washing machine showing the pump constructed in accordance with the invention in association therewith.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of a controlling valve associated with the pump.

Figure 3 is a detail plan view of a reversing valve shown in Figure 1.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail and more I especially now to Figure 1, there is shown conventionally an electric motor I of any approved type and suitably supported. The motor is so disposed that its shaft 2 extends vertically and projects through the upper end of the motor casing, and to the upper end of said motor casing is secured an intermediate casing 3 having a vertically disposed bore 4 which constitutes a pressure chamber, a sleeve 5 having an external helical rib or screw 6 being disposed within said boreand fitted on and threaded to the upper end of the shaft 2 of the motor. In assembling the parts a ball I is preferably disposed within the sleeve at the closed end of the same to receive the thrust from the end of the shaft 2 and maintain the parts in an efficient working relation.

The rib or screw 6 shouldbe of such external diameter that it will fit closely within the bore 4 and consequently, when rotated, will impart movement and pressure to a fluiddelivered to said chamber. e

The intermediate casing 3 is so constructed as to provide a fluid way 8 for the exhaust and return of a driving fluid, this way being shown in Figure l of the drawing as being connected with pipes 9 and Hi, respectively, which lead toand from a rotor for driving a wringer (not shown).

Other fiuid conducting pipes may be connected with this way and a suitable reservoir may be provided to contain sufficient fluid to insure proper operation at all times, it being understood that it is intended to employ some noncompressible fluid, such as oil, as a driving medium and thisyfiuid will be put under pressure and circulated through the proper pipes and actuating elements by the action of the pressure screw or rib 6.

In the upper end of the bore 4 there is mounted a controlling valve II which is preferably of the turning plug type, but which may, of course, be of any suitable approved construction whereby various speeds may be obtained for selective speed control in washing. In the illustrated arrangement the plug E2 of the valve is tapered and extends transversely or across the bore 4, as shown more clearly in Figure 2, the plug I2 being constructed with a longitudinal bore 13 opening through one end only thereof and communicating with radially disposed diametrically opposite ports I4, whereby the flow of liquid may be permitted from the bore 4 or may be cut off and, when permitted, will be directed into the rotor presently described. A stem l5 extends from the closed end of the plug I2 and is fitted at its outer extremity with a handle [6 of any approved form, the same being extended through a packing E1 to prevent leakage.

having coupled therewiththepipe 9. H

r The upper end of the intermediate casing 3 is provided with'an outstanding fiange 2B mating with a corresponding flange 2| on a tub-supporting frame22 and fastening bolts 23 are inserted The open end, of the bore I3 aligns with a suitable nipple l8 '7 dicated by the arrow.

trolling valve and has the branch leads 25. The circular chamber 26 into which the driving pressure fluid is delivered contains a stationary abutment or gate 21 which extends between the wall of the chamber and the hub 28 of a piston or oscillating wing 29 which has its free end in close sliding relation to thewalland is keyed or otherwise secured to an agitator shaft 30 which extends upwardly through the frame of the machine and into the tub of the machine, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. The abutment 27 is secured rigidly in place by a bolt 3| inserted downwardly through the cover 32 into the top of the abutment, as is shown in Figure 1, or any other desired method of fastening may be used. Dowel pins 33 may be provided so as to aid in properly placing the abutment when assembling the parts. The lower edge of the abutment is constructed with a groove or recess 34 extending through the sides thereof and in the roof of this recess is a groove 35. In the particular embodiment of the invention which is illustrated, a sliding valve 36 is engagedthrough the recess 34 and groove35, the valve consisting of an arcuate plate having a central guide rib 39 on its upper side which fits in and passes through the groove 35 to guide the valve in its movements. The sides of the valve engage the end walls of the recess 34 to aid in guiding the valve, as will be understood. The valve is provided with openings or ports extending vertically therethrough, oneport 40 being located adjacent each inner corner of the valve and other ports 4| being located at'the outer side of the rib 39 adjacent the ends thereof and at opposite sides of a radial line passing centrally through the valve. The ports 40 constitute inlet ports and are adapted to alternately register with the leads 25, while the ports'4l constitute outlet ports and are adapted to alternately register with ports leading to the fluid way 8. It will be understood that fluid is admitted to the chamber 26 through an inlet port at one side of the abutment 2'! and will act upon the piston to drive it through the chamber to the opposite side of the abutment, whereupon the valve will be shifted so that the fluid which has just actuated the piston will be permitted to exhaust and a fresh supply of driving fluid will be admitted to return the piston to its first position, this operation being continuous as longas the prime motor l is driven so that the piston will be oscillated and an oscillatory movement imparted to the agitator shaft 30. The valve is provided with recesses 44 in its upper sideadapted to be engaged by detents 45 mounted in the abutment and bearing constantly on the valve, the detents springing automatically into engagement with one of the recesses 44, as this particular recess is 'brought'into position below its companion detent, whereby the movement of the valve will be arrested and it will be held in its set position until againshifted by the'fluid force.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 3, fluid.

is being admitted into the chamber 26 through the inlet port 40 above the abutment and the port 4| belowthe abutment is serving as an exhaust port, the'piston being driven in the direction in- The piston 29 is secured to the agitator shaft 30, as has been stated, in any approved manner A seal is provided consisting of a bellows 52 secured at its upper end below the cap plate 50 and having at its lower end a washer or sealing ring 53 which bears upon the shoulder of the shaft '30, an expansion spring 54 being interposed between the plate 50 and said sealing ring so as to hold the ring in proper contact with the shoulder of the shaft. A bellows seal is provided at the lower end of the pressure screw, as

shown at 55, the screw being provided with an annular rib 56 upon which the bellows seal rests and a non-circular surface 51 being provided below said rib 56 so that a turning tool may be engaged with the screw to facilitate the securing of the same in position upon the motor shaft 2.

A portion of a tub is indicated at 58 and the same is preferably constructed of non-corrodible metal, there being an agitator shaft 38 extending upwardly within the tub for an agitator (not shown). A packing ll is provided around the agitator shaft 36], this packing being placed in a housing 52 disposed vertically and held rigid while a spring '13 is arranged between the packing ii to compress the same against the closed end of a gland l4 which is threaded into the housing 2, a nut 15 being disposed to coact with. the upper end of the housing so that the said housing will be very firmly secured in.a stationary position and disassembling of the parts will not be apt to occur.

While I'have shown and described the reversing valve as a sliding valve, it is to be understood that the valve may be of the pivoted or rocking type and it is also to be understood that while I have shown and described that embodiment of the invention which I now prefer, various changes in the minor details of construction or arrangement of the parts may be affected without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as the same is defined in the following claim.

Having described the invention, I claim:

In a device of the kind described, the combination of van electric motor having a projecting armature shaft, a casting bolted to the motor casing and having a chamber receiving the -shaft therein, a sleeve fixed to the shaft and having a helical peripheral rib, an anti-friction bearing between one end of the sleeve and the shaft end, an annular rib on the sleeve, a bellows sealed'at one end to the outer-end of the chamber, a spring sealing the other end of the bellows to the annular rib, said casting hav ing a fluid way at one side of the chamber, a division wall between the fluid way and the chamber and having a port establishing communication therebetween, and a valve for controlling the outlet of fluid from the chamber.

RUDOLPH WITT. 

